Sunday, July 29, 2012

In Sabah, a new political landscape takes shape

In Sabah, a new political landscape takes shape

By Ida Lim

July 29, 2012

Malaysian Insider

KUALA
LUMPUR, July 29 — A new political future may dawn in Malaysia soon as
two senior Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders, chafing at Putrajaya’s
bit, move to launch their own parties aligned to the rival Pakatan
Rakyat (PR) faction today in the run-up to key national polls.

PKR de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to be present
as a special guest, according to his party’s official news site.

A former deputy prime minister-turned-opposition leader who aims to
take federal power in the next general elections that must be called by
next April, Anwar had flown into the BN’s eastern stronghold late last
night and is expected to grace the two launches today.

Lajim’s PPS, scheduled to be launched at 6pm in Beaufort, is composed
of mostly Malay Muslim members while Bumburing’s APS, slated to kick
off earlier at 1pm, is seen to be dominated by the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut
community.

With this move, the two seasoned politicians are sending out signals
that they no longer have qualms with shifting their allegiances away
from the powerful BN coalition that has held sway for the past half a
century, since Malaysia was formed in 1963.

Lajim is an Umno Supreme Council member, while Bumburing is deputy president UPKO, a BN component party.

Both of them have previously been coy about joining PKR, but had quit their positions in BN.

Lajim, who holds a federal position as deputy minister of housing and
local government, had caused a stir yesterday when he made a surprise
announcement at dusk that he was giving up all his positions in Umno and
BN to work with PR for Sabah’s interest.

“From now on, I resign from all posts in Umno because (I am) no
longer confident that the party is able to take care of Sabahans,” Lajim
was quoted as saying by Keadilan Daily.

The Beaufort MP was reported pledging his allegiance to PR to rehabilitate Sabah from oppression and injustice.

The Sabah lawmaker said he would let the ruling party decide on his
party membership and his post as deputy minister of housing and local
government.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said a decision on Lajim’s
position as deputy housing and local government minister would be made
on Monday, even as he played down the withdrawal of the Sabah veteran at
a crucial point ahead of elections speculated to be held in September,
after Muslims celebrate Aidilfitri.

“I am not surprised by his decision. In any case no one is bigger than the party and it is loyalty that counts.
“We accept the fact that there is a difference in opinion between us
but these can be resolved through the right channels and it is only
whether it can be done quickly or not,” the PM and BN president was
quoted by Bernama as saying after performing terawih prayers at Masjid
Ubudiah Kampung Mambang in his home state of Pahang.

Najib said leaders quitting Umno was not something new as even party
founder Datuk Onn Jaafar himself had taken this path, Bernama reported.

“Nevertheless, as an experienced party, we can overcome this challenge,” Najib told reporters.
Bumburing, who is also Tuaran MP, had relinquished his BN division chief post last week.

Both are seen as vocal champions of Sabah’s issues.

In Sabah, the deep-seated issue of illegal immigrants who have been
fast-tracked for citizenship will likely be used as a key campaign issue
in the coming polls.

The Najib administration had agreed to set up a royal inquiry panel
on the issue last year but the ire from native-born citizens has been
building up as Putrajaya is seen to drag its feet in carrying out
investigations.

Federal seats in east Malaysia’s Sabah and Sarawak are expected to be
PR’s focal point come the elections as both states, including the
federal territory of Labuan, make up a whopping 57 seats, or 25 per cent
of the 222 parliamentary seats available.

In Election 2008, BN retained power over the Putrajaya administrative
capital largely due to wins in east Malaysia and Labuan, where it made a
near-clean sweep, winning 55 seats against PR’s two.

But the ruling pact lost its customary two-thirds parliamentary
majority after only securing a five-seat margin ahead of PR in the
peninsula, winning in just 85 constituencies while PR secured 80 seats.